How to Ship Bulk Liquids to Foreign Countries
Bulk liquid transportation can pose unique challenges for receivers and shippers. For instance, there’s a need for consistency, quality, and integrity to send any product abroad. Also, you need essential documents that contain the shipping origin, destination, weight, and volume when undertaking bulk liquid transport.
Regardless of whether you’re shipping to an international dock or storage warehouse, we understand the need for compliance with all regulations and mandates. Indeed, shipping bulk liquids internationally can be somewhat complex, particularly when observing specific regulations and rules.
We understand that different countries have different laws prohibiting and restricting a distinct set of products. For this reason, you can count on us to adopt the essential precautions to prevent our customers’ products from being confiscated at customs. Our comprehensive guide reveals what you should know about international bulk liquid transportation.
Goods You Can Send with Bulk Shipping
It’s possible to send various kinds of products through bulk shipping. However, they’re broadly termed liquid or dry bulk. Both groups are common in bulk shipping but need different ways of loading and shipping.
Shipping Dry Bulk
Solid or dry bulk needs the use of bulk storage containers that need storage and stacking on massive vessels. Dry bulk can range from grains to raw materials such as coal.
Shipping Bulk Liquids
Bulk liquid transportation includes shipping liquid products that comprise any free-flowing liquid materials, including chemicals such as gasoline and consumables such as juice or milk. Shipping of bulk liquids takes place through specialized tanks or flexibags, which we fill with liquids before shipping across long distances.
Transporting bulk liquids involves three steps: storage, loading, and unloading. Bear in mind that bulk liquid transport of liquids can’t take place conventionally, unlike powders or granules. That’s where our specially designed flexibags come in to address our clients’ needs.
International Shipping of Hazardous Materials
Transporting hazardous materials internationally demands stringent adherence to regulations and rules set by American law as well as the laws of the destination nation. When transporting hazardous goods, we have a mandate to ensure proper packaging of these goods throughout the journey.
It’s equally our responsibility to familiarize ourselves with the regulations associated with the goods we want to ship. If you’re thinking of engaging bulk liquid transportation services of a transport company, ensure they have a valid license.
Training
Any party involved in packing hazardous goods needs valid and current training to ensure safe business practices. If your staff can’t complete the training, we recommend you hire a company that can do so.
Classification and Declaration
Before shipping any hazardous goods internationally, remember, you must complete the suitable hazardous goods notes according to how you ship the items and their categorization. Beware that not just anybody can complete these notes. Instead, a qualified consignor should do so to inform the shipper and destination country about the products being shipped.
Packing
To ship dangerous goods globally, you must adopt compliant packaging that’s certified, tested, and meets the UN prerequisites for the classification of products being shipped.
Options for Transporting Bulk Liquids
When carrying out bulk liquid transportation, we must consider a suitable method to save overhead costs and time. After all, we understand that we must adapt fast to shifting needs. Furthermore, options depend on the capacity and limit of what’s being shipped.
IBCs
Intermediate bulk containers, otherwise known as IBCs, are usually smaller than ISO tanks and can accommodate non-hazardous and hazardous liquids. These containers can accommodate items from food to solvents and chemicals. The container derives its name from the fact that it’s halfway between an ISO tank and a drum. This method of transport enables easy use and we recommend it for shippers that need smaller capacities.
Flexitanks
Flexitanks are a kind of collapsible container comprising different polyethylene layers. These bags lack a specialized structure or interior to accommodate hazardous liquids. It’s worth noting that underloading a flexibag can cause leaks, while overloading it can damage it.
Barrels and Drums
These kinds of materials are available in various materials but with the smallest capacities. You’ll find that they’re restricted to 250 liters and the minimum capacity they can accommodate is 20 liters. Barrels and drums are lined with a particular kind of coating to make sure the transported product remains hygienic and safe.
ISO Tanks
These options are the typical go-to for different shippers as the interior layer comprises protective materials as well as a stainless-steel-made exterior to prevent corrosion. These tanks accommodate petroleum, oils, and other chemicals deemed dangerous. Their versatile nature makes it possible for these tanks to transport various types of non-hazardous and hazardous at different capacities.
How to Prepare for International Shipments
Irrespective of where you intend to ship your products globally, we recommend you prepare a comprehensive, itemized list of what you’re shipping and the quantity of each product. Next, you’ll have to locate a trusted, qualified shipping company to handle the customs processes and movement of your products.
Choosing a Shipping Company
Selecting a shipping company can be difficult, but this doesn’t have to be the case. To locate the company that works best, we recommend you go for an experienced company with the expertise and necessary international partnerships to deliver your shipment safely across the world. Make sure you obtain an estimate before engaging a company to ensure their cost is within your budget.
If you’re seeking a reliable company to provide bulk liquid transport services, you can count on us to deliver. Techno Group USA is your solution.
